Grain imports to Algeria to remain at high levels

In the 2025/2026 season (July 2025-June 2026), Algeria will maintain wheat sowing area at 2 million hectares and barley at 1 million hectares, the Foreign Agricultural Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FAS USDA) forecasts.

Sowing of wheat and barley for the 2025 crop took place from September through December 2024. So far, moisture amounts in rainfed fields have been largely unsatisfactory. The vegetation index (NDVI) is now below average in the west and in almost all the highlands of Algeria, and is in line with normal in the Mediterranean central zone of Algeria and on the east coast. In general, vegetation appears sparse in northern Algeria, where most of the wheat and barley production is concentrated.

Current soil moisture levels are the same as last season. If significant rainfall resumes in January, this will allow moisture levels to recover.

Gross harvest of wheat this season was 3.0 million tons (2.7 million tons last season) and barley 1.2 (1.025) million tons.

Wheat is a staple food and accounts for 60% of the food ration in Algeria. The national government continues to encourage consumers to reduce bread consumption to reduce waste and reduce demand for imported milling wheat. However, because bread is a cheap food item (from 10 U.S. cents per baguette), USDA’s FAS expects wheat consumption to remain relatively stable in the near future. Wheat consumption could reach 11.35 million tons this season (11.15 million tons last season).

Barley is mainly used as animal feed, and only a small part is used for bread and couscous production. Thus, barley consumption depends on pasture condition. Poor pasture condition leads to increased demand for barley. If current drought conditions persist, barley demand may increase. FAS USDA estimates barley consumption for the current season at 1.65 (1.6) million tons.

FAS USDA also expects Algeria’s grain imports to remain strong given the continued strong pace of purchases by state-owned OAIC. Algeria will import wheat to build up stocks and make up for existing production shortfalls due to previous poor harvests, FAS USDA forecasts. Wheat imports this season could total 9.0 (9.4) million tons and barley imports could total 0.7 (0.65) million tons.

In 2024, Algeria became one of the main buyers of Russian wheat.

In July-December 2024, Algeria imported 1,803.3 thousand tons of wheat (2,480.3 thousand tons in the same period last year), including 1,086.6 (1,698.1) thousand tons from the EU countries.

Tags: grain, barley, wheat, Algeria